Whishaw is being eyed to play “Moby Dick” author Herman Melville in “In The Heart Of The Sea,” and this isn’t exactly a biopic. Based on the book by Nathaniel Philbrick, this is the true story that inspired Melville’s classic novel, following a Nantucket whaling ship that was stalked and destroyed by a sperm whale, stranding the crew who were lost at sea for ninety days. After the attack, the crew heads to South America and soon are forced to eat each other to live—only eight survived.

Chris Hemsworth has the lead role, with Cillian Murphy, Benjamin Walker and the recently added Brendan Gleeson, Sam Keeley and Frank Dillane rounding out the cast. And Howard won’t be waiting around to see if he’ll be needed for an awards season duty for “Rush“— he’s getting cameras rolling this fall in London, hopefully with Whishaw as the writer who delivered one helluva tale. [The Wrap/Variety]